I pretty much always get stuff I like with this subscription, and am rarely disappointed. This month was consistent with others, so that was a good thing!

This month’s theme was Beauty Candy, full of colorful and stand-out treats.

Here’s the bag everything came in.

Fun, pretty, and feels cool. I will probably add this to my rake up the makeup pile because I’m getting quite a collection of these, but I definitely liked it.

Let’s look inside!

I got this gorgeous ultra deep burgundy Nicole by OPI nail polish in Feeling Very Cherry.

At first I was a little skeptical, because it sort of looked black, however once I put it on I really liked the color and couldn’t wait to celebrate fall with this rich color.

It dries fast, which is usually a great, but when you’re clumsy like me sometimes you can use an extra five seconds to fix the messes you’ve created all over the edges. Haha

I also got this Epice International Purifying Exfoliant.

While I definitely prefer makeup over skincare in these bags, I still find the masks and washes they send to be a real treat. Plus I always use them when I travel!

I enjoyed using this stuff. The exfoliators were much smaller than a usual face scrub, so it felt more like a microdermabrasion. Not overly abrasive, but definitely effective- a good thing for my aging skin.

Oh, and it has a very light, clean smell.

I also got this mini sample sized Figs and Rouge lotion in a lovely rose berry scent.

I find many people love or hate the smell of rose scented products.

I most definitely, totally, and completely love rose scented products. If that makes me a grandma, so be it. I love rose scented stuff. And grandmas. Winning.

Anyway- I think this lotion is a perfect balance for those on the fence about rose scented stuff. I had a gentle hint of rose but also has a really nice and awakening berry scent to go along with it. Definitely fun.

If you’re on the fence about rose (though I have no idea why you would be), this may be a good starting point. Dip your toes in the world of rose-berry.

This is my second small hand lotion in two months, so “eh,” however they always get used up and are perfect for stashing in your purse.

I also got this Mini Starlooks lip gloss in Guilty Pleasue. I’m a big fan of all the Starlooks products I’ve gotten this far, and this is no different.

It has a nice, light subtle baby pink and is nice alone as a little nude tint or also kicks lipstick up a notch. It goes on matte and isn’t too sticky.

Finally, I got this Modelco Volumeyes Extreme mini mascara sample.

Ipsy has been good to me in terms of mascara. I think this is like my third this year maybe? Regardless, I love being able to use these up. It’s been awhile since I’ve had to buy mascara,
and that makes me happy!

Ah this bag is killing me! It’s a hot neon pink in a pleather material with cute scalloped edging.

So fun.

Check out this cute sparkly red nail polish.

It’s from a brand called Models Own.

Ever heard of it?

I hadn’t.

Perhaps since I’m not a model? Ha!

I also got this Pur-Lisse travel sunscreen.

These travel bottles are always handy. I like to keep them in my purse during football season for easy reapplication.

For sunscreen, it’s super expensive though, so I’ll be using the sample and that’s it.

I got this mini Bare Minerals liquid eyeshadow in vintage wine.

It’s teeny, cute, and goes on incredibly smooth.

The color is nice and neutral, yet has a subtle shimmer. Surprisingly, it had great staying power too.

I’m usually skeptical of these liquid eyeshadow things, however I have received a couple from Ipsy now and have had good results.

I also got this sample sized Marrakesh Endz argan oil hair therapy.

I used when my hair was damp the other day and didn’t think it was going to do much. It kind of felt thin and wimpy going on, but I must say it smells so crazy good.

Like freshly baked cookies.

Doing my hair in the morning and contemplating snickerdoodles.

Great.

I was very surprised when I dried my hair and could feel just how soft and smooth my ends were. I was very pleased with this product. What seemed disappointing at first packed a punch and definitely delivered results.

Finally, my favorite product.

(Another) pink lipstick. Pixie Beauty Tinted Balm in Pretty Pink.

And it totally is pretty pink.

Ah guys, totally heart this one.

I realize this is much like all the others I own, but hey- it saves me from having to buy a new one when I’m out now, right!?

It is cute, small, and tastes like peppermint. Win!

Definitely a good bag all around.

So let’s take a look at the price breakout and see how the bag stacks up against my $10 investment.

Hi friends! I got to meet the fabulous Angela last night and I can’t wait to tell you all about our fun! I hope you check in soon to read all about it on Thursday.

Today however, I’m on the move and had to preload this post to make sure there was some content out there to read!

So let’s talk Ipsy!

They’re killing me.

Seriously.

They’ve been knocking it out of the park lately, and this month is no different.

There was only one questionable item, but we will get to that skin enough.

I apologize in advance for the bad pics. I took these in a hurry before my trip.

So the June theme was Pretty in Paradise, and they hit the nail on the head.

Here’s the super cute bag designed by Rebecca Minkoff.

This month came with three full size products!

Seriously, Ipsy, I love you.

Let’s peek inside!

The first thing I pulled out was this sample sized Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray.

I’ve been wanting to try a product like this for ages but never wanted to spend the money to do it for fear it wouldn’t work. For that reason, I was thrilled to see this!

Sooo, I used it on my second full day between washings, so my straightened hair was in need if a little life. I usually pull my hair up on the second day, but I have this a go instead.

I have naturally wavy hair and it rejuvenated my curls almost instantly with a little scrunching.

I will probably stick to ponys on my second day between washings, but can’t wait to try it on a day when my hair is fresh or even the day after.

Win!

Oh and it smells fantastic. Totally beachy and coconut-y.

I also got this full size Be a Bombshell black mascara!

So very excited about this stuff. I’ve gotten multiple products from this company and absolutely am crazy about all of them.

This is no different. Plus it’s fill size. Wee!

I also got the sample Skinn Olive & Enzyme Cleanser and Mask.

It smells terrific. Sort of like an orange cremesicle collided with vanilla birthday cake?

Dying.

I used it as a mask and didn’t think it did all that much, but have a feeling it will be better as a face wash. It claims to “melt” off makeup, so I look forward to trying it.

Aaand another full size treat.

This NYX butter gloss in apple strudel.

Stroooodel. Haha

Sorry. It was necessary.

This stuff can also now be known as my new favorite lip gloss. The color is absolutely beautiful! I can’t wait to wear this every single day.

Plus NYX is at Target now, so it’s easy to restock.

Finally, I got this Nicka K sparkly green eyeliner.

You know by now how incredibly grandma-ish I am about these types of colors. I wasn’t all that excited to see this in the bag, but the good news is that it’s full size and will definitely go to someone who loves all thing bold and jade.

My May Ipsy was somewhat different than those in the past. It was pretty much devoted to all things skincare and fresh face related, instead of the usual makeup and nail polish fare.

The theme was Fresh Picks, and they did a good job of holding to it!

So let’s take a look at what was inside!

Here’s the bag everything came in.

Pretty and springy and all things fresh, if I so say so myself!

The first thing I pulled out was this sample sized Hey Honey Peel Off Mask.

It claims to instantly brighten and renew.

Have you guys ever done a peel off mask?

It’s been years for me.

Maybe even close to a decade?

I have no idea.

I’m so old.

I forgot how tight they make your face feel! Um, perhaps I can use this stuff as a super cheap alternative to Botox?

...

Anyway-

There’s something sort of therapeutic about peeling away the “bad” junk on your face, which this mask claims to do. However, I was kind of a bad peeler and had to use a cloth to get some of it off.

I think my face looked brighter?

I have no idea, but I like to think it did.

I won’t buy it,but enjoyed the experience.

Next, I got this beautiful Pacifica mineral eyeshadow duo in celestial and opal.

The color is nice and neutral, and had a beautiful shimmer. I’ve received Pacifica products in the past and have really liked all of them. This is no different!

I also got this sample size Pur-Lisse hydra balance moisturizer.

Since I’m a Mary Kay girl all the way, I enjoy trying other skin care products to compare and see how they stack up.

I really loved the way this moisturizer went on when I tried it at night. As weird as it may sound, it comes out like a normal moisturizer, but feels super thick when I rubbed it in. It took several passes all over my face for it to fully absorb.

And it has a lovely, slightly lemony scent.

With that said, I definitely didn’t enjoy wearing it the next morning. It felt heavy and a little greasy. It would be great used at night, with a lighter weight alternative in the morning.

Let’s not forget the sunscreen! This month’s bag came with a sample size cruelty free Jersey Shore sans-tan sunscreen.

I like this stuff because it’s small and convenient. It’s perfect to keep in my purse for applications when I’m outside and away from the house.

Finally, my personal favorite of the month.

And when I say personal favorite, I’m being a little sarcastic.

It’s my favorite because it sort of kind of maybe gave me a laugh.

This.

Avene Thermal Spring Water.

Or as I like to say- canned spray water.

You probably know I’m pretty frugal by now, so it’s really hard for me to justify buying aerosol spring water when I could just use a squirt bottle and filtered water.

Know what I mean?

(Probably) just as refreshing!

I will say I used it after a workout when I was super hot and trying to cool down and get my face to a somewhat normal shade of red instead of emergency siren blazing red. It definitely had a cooling effect and helped get me down to a normal red.

In fact, I probably could have just used the whole can on my face that day…

Soooo- don’t worry, I’m not bashing anyone who uses this.

Tell me why you love it. I need to know. Help!

So that’s my bag!

Let’s talk money.

-Hey Honey sample: $7

-Pacifica eyeshadow duo: $7 (maybe? I couldn’t find this exact size on their site, so took a swag based on other items)

-PUR-LISSE moisturizer sample: &16.18

-Jersey Shore sunscreen sample: $7.50

-Avene canned water thermal spring water sample: $9

Everything totaled about $46, give or take with my eyeshadow guess, and I paid $10.

As usual, Ipsy didn’t disappoint. If you’d like to give it a try, let me know and I will send you a referral link!

That’s this month’s Ipsy fun! Check in next month for more good finds.

I am now off to use the thermal spring water spray. Check in tomorrow, and check out past Ipsys here:

Since this was my first go, I didn’t want to spend the time or money to buy fancy labels and print them off on the computer.

Because, Duh! That would have made way too much sense.

Instead, I just bought regular old labels at the dollar store and handwrote some fun things in pretty markers.

Except… yeah… I didn’t stop to think that maybe, just maybe, the size I got wouldn’t fit chapstick tubes.

Real life.

Since I went to the trouble to handwrite all of them, I still went ahead and used them.

They look classy, ya’ll, real classy.

Except not.

Now that I know what a success this chapstick making was, I am definitely going to print pretty labels next go around.

So there. Look at you! You just made beautiful chapstick!

This recipe should make between 22-25 tubes, which should last you a super long time. Give some to friends, and family, and enjoy some for yourself too.

I cannot get over how easy it was, and look forward to making another batch soon.

So here’s the fun part. I am giving away five chapsticks on the blog this week. Just comment below in the “share the love” section with your favorite lip product, and I will send the first five people their very own chapstick!

And if you have five minutes and want to see all the stuff I just wrote about, here’s my how to Chapstick video below.

I’m super excited about this month’s bag, and can’t wait to share it with you today!

I thought everything was fantastic.

Let’s dive in!

Here’s the bag it all came in:

Eh…

Moving on.

The people at Ipsy obviously know I’m ghastly and offensively pale, so they were kind enough to send me a sample sized St. Tropez gradual face tanner.

Thanks guys. No really, thank you.

This stuff is great. I don’t think I would buy a full size of it since I can get something comparable at the drug store, but I was excited to get and use it.

Next, I got this Dr.Brandt sample sized microdermabrasion tube.

I use the Mary Kay microdermabrasion treatment twice a week, so I know how great microdermabrasion is. I was happy to give something else a shot to see how it compares.

This brand was pretty much identical to my Mary Kay version, however it had an invigorating citrus scent that I seriously enjoyed. Definitely a treat.

Next, I got this sample size a Urban Decay black eyeliner.

I realize Urban Decay is extremely popular, but I don’t own any of their products. I was pretty excited to see this in my bag!

I really liked how this eyeliner went on. It was so smooth and easy to apply. I can’t wait to use this stuff up.

I also got this super pretty and shimmery neutral Elizabeth Mott Pop Goes the Shadow in champagne.

It’s so beautiful!

It creased by the end of the day, but it might have been my moisturizer. I have to give it another shot because I’m not yet convinced it’s the shadow.

Last, and definitely not least, look who decided to join in on the Ipsy fun!

That’s right! My beloved Mary Kay is in on the action! I was so excited to see their product in this bag. With all the noise of hundreds of brands, it can be hard to stand out. It’s great Mary Kay is thinking outside the box and making partnerships like these.

I got the Mary Kay at play gloss in berry me. It’s super glossy with a touch of color. Obviously I’m biased when I say I love his stuff, but I seriously do.

I don’t care how outwardly beautiful you are, if you don’t have an inner glow of warmth, love, and kindness, I tend to think it dulls the outward beauty.

So how do we attain this beautiful, constant glow?

It might be a little different than you think.

To exude a radiant glow, you ought to look to the Lord.

I know what you might be thinking.

“Seriously, Brittny!? I read all this to get advice like that!? That’s the best.kept.beauty.secret.ever!?”

Here me out, friends.

Psalms 34:5 tells us, “Those who look to the Lord are radiant; their faces are never covered in shame.”

Ugh, shame.

When I think of my own shameful experiences, my heart groans within me. I feel sick, downcast, defeated, and horrible.

In short, I don’t feel very “radiant.”

Not at all.

How about you?

What comes to mind when you think of a time when you experienced shame?

No one likes to dwell in shame. It’s the worst!

Yet, so often I feel like we do.

I feel like it is so easy to stay entrapped to past hurt, guilt, and regret.

None of those things portray a glowy life, am I right?

So why do we stay there, wallowing in our defeat?

Why, in some sick way, do we seem to get comfortable with those feelings of hurt and “yuck.”

The Bible says in Micah, “Though I sit in darkness” (and I’m sure we’ve all been there)), “the Lord will be my light.”

Do you see that?

The Lord is our light.

Sure we have our moments, but it’s hard to be full of light and radiance all the time.

I’m sorry to tell you guys, but it’s because we’re human and imperfect.

It’s the Lord who is our light and salvation from shame.

To enjoy a radiant glow, it really comes down to looking to Christ. Allowing Him to heal our hearts from shame, and exude a love and servitude through us.

It may sound elementary, but He lights up our life and reminds us of His beacon and His truth throughout the gospels.

I want a radiant glow.

One that lasts and surpasses my youth (of what little is left of it. ).
How do we get one?

-Pray. Tell The Lord our shame and hurts. He already knows them, so be real with him.
-Ask for forgiveness and healing. He is faithful and will do just that, I promise.
-Read his word. There are so many healing truths found there. His love is ridiculous for us, my human mind can’t really understand most of the time.
-Repeat.-

Sooo, I’m obviously not going to be in style this spring unless I get some substantial eyeshadow help.

I can’t help but fear I’ll look like Mimi from the Drew Carey show if left to my own devices.

Happening.

Anyway, love this eyeshadow set, even the blue I will probably never wear.

Next, I got this mini Bare Minerals lipstick sample in Moxie.

Very pretty!

I also got these Klorane relaxing eye patches. I’m pretty excited about these. Unfortunately, genetics weren’t kind to me and I have horrendous eye bags. If these puppies improve them even a little bit, I’m buying them! I haven’t tried them yet, but if they work, I’ll let you know.

Finally, I got this full size Chella liquid eyeliner in indigo blue. So pretty, right? So not me though (see Mimi pic above).

That’s the loot! I’m pretty pleased with everything, and it’s not their fault I’m am old curmudgeon when it comes to makeup.